Work Situation, What would you do?

[Buck]

Tomorrow is a big day for me at my workplace.

I am going to have new responsibilities because they just let someone go. So I get to do all the work I've been doing, plus that person's work.

This is inevitably going to lead into lots of Overtime.

They already told me they want me to go on Salary w/ a Raise. They will most likely offer a $1/hr raise. That would mean $40 more a week.

HOWEVER, at my current payrate, I would have to work less than 2 hours of Overtime in a week to make an extra $40 on my paycheck.

I will probably be working 6-10 hours of overtime a week.

If you were me, how much of a raise would you ask for?

Do you think asking for a $2.50 raise is out of line on my part? They did just save $18/hr or so by letting that one person go, so what is $2.50?

Thanks for your response.

[DeezNutz]

No. Ask for more than you want and accept a compromise--the figure you actually have in mind.

[Buehler445]

Yeah, they are definitely boning you on that deal. Do you get any additional bennys for being salary?

[Buck]

No. Ask for more than you want and accept a compromise--the figure you actually have in mind.

I just think it would be ridiculous asking for a $4 raise.

The way I figure it, I would be making about $220 extra a week if I worked 10 hours.

So if I wanted that extra $200, that would be a $5 raise.

[Wa-Z]

Economically it makes sense for you to ask for more, give it a shot.

[Buck]

Yeah, they are definitely boning you on that deal. Do you get any additional bennys for being salary?

Other than it doesn't hurt me when I have a Doctors Appointment, no.

I already get Paid Holidays, Sick Pay, and 1 Week Vacation. I don't think they are going to up any of that.

[JohnnyV13]

First of all, they are saving more than 18/hr, because employees usually cost at least a third to 1/2 their hourly pay in benefits and training expense.

I guess the question I have for you is, what do you gain by going on salary?

[KcMizzou]

Economically it makes sense for you to ask for more, give it a shot.Yeah... don't low-ball yourself. They won't give you more than you ask for. Can't hurt to ask...

That said, try not to go overboard (and end up sounding like a greedy dick) either.

[Buck]

First of all, they are saving more than 18/hr, because employees usually cost at least a third to 1/2 their hourly pay in benefits and training expense.

I guess the question I have for you is, what do you gain by going on salary?

I have Nothing to Gain by going on Salary, but they don't want to pay Overtime anymore, so I am sorta being asked to go on it.

[DeezNutz]

I agree with KcMizzou on this. You should definitely ask for a raise, but try to manage what you want vs. what is in your best interests politically at the job. You probably already have a good idea what the reaction may or may not be.

[Bugeater]

You're only going to have to work 6-10 hours to pick up the slack from the other person? He/she must have been worthless. Anyway, you're getting ****ed and there's probably nothing you can do about it.

[Rain Man]

Is this a career track job for you? If it is, you should say, "Thank you, sir, and this will prove to be a great decision on your part.", and take the raise they offer. Then, in your next review after you've proven yourself, maybe you can comment that you've performed well and make the case for a raise to $XX.

Unless your employer is clueless, they recognize the valuable employees and will make financial decisions that will keep them to the extent possible. My advice is to never worry about money and just do your job in the best manner possible. If at some point you don't think you're making what you're worth, then shop around and see what the market will bring. I think it's rarely positive to try to negotiate with your employer.

(I should mention that this was my philosophy as an employee, and isn't just my jawing and positioning as an employer.)

[Buck]

You're only going to have to work 6-10 hours to pick up the slack from the other person? He/she must have been worthless. Anyway, you're getting ****ed and there's probably nothing you can do about it.

Thats why they were canned.

I averaged 160 jobs a month, she averaged 75 and has been there 2 years longer than me.

[Spott]

I would tell the cheap bastards to stick it if they want to put you on salary and force you to work OT. They are already saving money by not paying the other employee so they should have no problem paying your overtime. If you do go on salary, don't work any more than 40 hours a week.

[Rain Man]

I would tell the cheap bastards to stick it if they want to put you on salary and force you to work OT. They are already saving money by not paying the other employee so they should have no problem paying your overtime. If you do go on salary, don't work any more than 40 hours a week.


Unless of course you want to be successful in the long term.


Oh, and Spott - THE JEZZBALL CROWN IS MINE! Bwahahahaha.

[Spott]

Unless of course you want to be successful in the long term.


Oh, and Spott - THE JEZZBALL CROWN IS MINE! Bwahahahaha.

I'll give you a couple of days before I dethrone you. ;)

[KcMizzou]

Unless your employer is clueless, they recognize the valuable employees and will make financial decisions that will keep them to the extent possible. My advice is to never worry about money and just do your job in the best manner possible. If at some point you don't think you're making what you're worth, then shop around and see what the market will bring. I think it's rarely positive to try to negotiate with your employer.
That's a very good point. I've never asked for a raise. However, on three different occasions, I've found a better paying position, and the company I was already with, paid me more than said offer... to stay.

"I'm really not unhappy here at all. It's just that financially, it makes the most sense." You'd be surprised what those words can do for you. (Assuming, of course, that you're a good worker.)

[boogblaster]

Never hurts to ask .. maybe you'll get the 2.50 ....

[Mr. Flopnuts]

I have Nothing to Gain by going on Salary, but they don't want to pay Overtime anymore, so I am sorta being asked to go on it.

I would sorta tell them no thank you. If they ask why, flat out tell them that while you enjoy your position, you don't see how it makes sense to make less working more. If they don't understand that you're better off somewhere else anyways.

They should either adjust accordingly to your duties, or they should leave it alone. Your employer is being greedy right now. Personally, I think if you roll over for them here, it will only be the beginning. JMO.

[el borracho]

Rainman's correct. If they are encouraging you to take the "raise" you should take it because refusal might result in you being fired. If you find you are not happy with your new position, you should shop yourself about. It isn't often wise to upset your employer without having an out (new job).

[Joie]

Salary is just a way to make you work overtime w/ out having to pay you for it. Ask for more than you want, and reach a compromise. Do NOT take what's essentially a pay cut.

[Rain Man]

Another point I should make, and I hope I'm not insulting anyone by saying this, is that generally a salaried position means you're an "independent worker" and hourly means that you're a "production worker". As such, a salary position generally has a higher upside over time.

Also, it's not the employer's choice. The Federal Government forces employers to classify their jobs as salaried or hourly according to the government's (typically poor) judgment. I despise the fact that the government interferes with my business in this way, but employers have no choice but to follow the government's (typically stupid) rules.

[KcMizzou]

Another point I should make, and I hope I'm not insulting anyone by saying this, is that generally a salaried position means you're an "independent worker" and hourly means that you're a "production worker". As such, a salary position generally has a higher upside over time.
Hourly = "blue collar"

Salary = "white collar"

That's the gist of it?

[Valiant]

I have Nothing to Gain by going on Salary, but they don't want to pay Overtime anymore, so I am sorta being asked to go on it.

Ask them what YOU gain by going Salary.. Tell them how much YOU DO FOR THEM, and are being asked to do two jobs at a pay cut.. Sell your self high and then negotiate..

I would ask the average of 5+ dollars an hour raise for doing two peoples job and then accept at 4 dollars.. Hopefully you are in good with the bosses and asking this will be no problem..

Or see if they will give you better benefits without you paying for them or more vacation time for free..


If not, smile take the crummy offer and hopefully within a week or so turn in your two weeks and get a better job..

[Rain Man]

Hourly = "blue collar"

Salary = "white collar"

That's the gist of it?

I think that's a big part of it, though I don't have any blue collar employees so I'm not sure about that part of it. I think that's right, though.

In my office, I would classify most of my employees as white collar, and a few are pink collar. The pink collar are all classified by the government as "hourly", which means that I have to send them home at 40 hours or they get time and a half, which isn't feasible in my business. I've got some employees who are kind of in the middle, and I definitely would classify them as salaried, but the government makes me classify them as hourly, so therefore I have to send them home at 40 hours, even if they're working on deadlines.

So the bottom line is that all of my employees want to meet their deadlines and get their work done and be successful, but I have to send some of them home at 40 hours while others are still working. It's a pretty stupid system all in all, and one more reason why I don't like the government meddling in my business.

[CrazyPhuD]

Along the same lines...they can put you on 'salary' but that has absolutely NOTHING to due with you getting OT or not. The real question is if you are exempt or not. If you're exempt then you can't get OT if you're not then you do get OT. Regardless of if you are on salary or not. They can't just put you on salary and make you exempt it doesn't work that way. Unless you are getting significantly more responsibilty(i.e. becoming a manager) you're still non-exempt and entitled to OT.

http://www.allbusiness.com/government/employment-regulations/808-1.html

http://www.ewin.com/articles/exneot.htm

[Rausch]

I remember asking a little over a year ago for a $1 raise.

I didn't figure it was much. I'm not greedy. I'd been there 14 years.

I worked there about 30 hours a week. If I made one more sale, ONCE A WEEK, it would cover my raise.

They said no.

I'm ****ing euphoric that I'm no longer employed there...

[ClevelandBronco]

...I will probably be working 6-10 hours of overtime a week...

This is troubling. Was the other employee only doing 6–10 hours of work in a week? If that's the case, you have much less leverage than you would otherwise.

The employer has to take two things into account (many more than two, really, but let's deal with the main two):

1. What do you cost the company?

2. What do you earn for the company?

If all you're having to take on is 15–25% more work (timewise), then you should probably ask for the middle part of that figure (20%), tell them why, then let them know in a very friendly way that you'd like to revisit the matter in three months.

You're obviously more valuable than the employee they let go, but that's about the only leverage you have at this point. Thank them for this opportunity, and let them know that you intend to prove yourself to be even more valuable than they guessed. Then work your ass off to prove it, and don't stop.

Remember that recent thread about living with someone that you're not married to? Many responded that truthful and fair communication is the only way to sustain the relationship. You're not married to this company and they're not married to you.

Communicate, communicate, communicate, and make yourself essential.

[blueballs]

Cro has sexual congress with dust bunnies

[Abba-Dabba]

Questions you have to ask yourself.

How long to you plan to stay at your present company? Is this a promotion, or another "Oh, hey, ummm, guess what we need to do..." type deals made to look pretty with more money?

Was it a firing that caused this? Or was it a downsizing? Do they plan to replace the loss of a employee? Will the new responsibilites be just add-on w/o a promotion?

If you plan to stay for a good length of time and it is a promotion, maybe taking a hit on the free time you have wouldn't do you any harm at this point. You aren't married, no kids. WTF do you really have to lose? So you miss out on a beer with your buddies. Retirement isn't going to get any cheaper...

Was the person fired? If so, why was he/she fired? Incompetence on his/her part? Or too demanding of a position?

In the end though, either choice you make, you're young still. If it doesn't work out. Easily recoverable from.

[ClevelandBronco]

...If at some point you don't think you're making what you're worth, then shop around and see what the market will bring. I think it's rarely positive to try to negotiate with your employer...

Excellent advice. Listen closely to Rain Man, younger folk.

If you've shopped yourself around and gotten a better offer, you'd better take it and leave, even if your current employer offers you more to stay once you tell them that you're leaving.

The problem: Your current employer now knows about your willingness to "sleep around" with other companies, and it's very likely that you'll never be fully trusted again. Your long term career very well may suffer from a decision to stay on, even though you've received a better immediate offer.

[Flustrated]

Tell them to keep the raise, and give you an extra 2 weeks paid vacation so you can rest your aching body....

[Chiefs=Champions]

Anti Freeze...?


In all seriousness your are being bent over, like some have said i would ask for more than what you want and find a happy medium.

[Chiefs=Champions]

Or maybe just listen to Rain Man and Cleveland Bronco...

[KC Jones]

Is this a career type thing or just a job that's allowing you to live? If it's the latter I'd say no thanks I prefer to stay hourly - then they can try offering more. 1 week vacation? That's nuts - I'd prefer more vacation over the bigger raise.